#30Fieldsin30Days: Wrigley Field

What's more perfect than a day at the ballpark? 30 perfect days at 30 ballparks. 30 Fields in 30 Days is here to show off the can't-miss spots at each and every Major League stadium. Join us, then plan out an unforgettable day at your favorite park.
Step into a time machine without the worrisome jarring effects of actually traveling to the past. Wrigley Field, the second-oldest ballpark in the Major Leagues, is a living monument to the game of baseball and those who love it.
The Friendly Confines -- as Cubs legend Ernie Banks called the park -- opened in 1914 on the North Side of Chicago in an area that has since become known as Wrigleyville. The park has also carved out an indelible role in the annals of the game, acting as the setting -- for instance -- of Babe Ruth's "called shot," a moment so epic and distant that it seems to have occurred only in history books.
Its hand-operated scoreboard remains iconic, and though the park relented and installed lights in 1988, day baseball is still a staple in Wrigleyville.
- The ivy: Yes, it's in play. And no, you're probably not going to find that baseball. Installed in 1937 by the always innovative Bill Veeck, the vines that cover Wrigley's outfield walls were always distinctive and are now completely unique to the Cubs' park.
- The bleachers: Peppered with home run balls, and populated by lifelong die-hards, the best seats in the house are arguably the ones stacked along Waveland Avenue and Sheffield Avenue.